The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Internal combustion engines combust an air and fuel mixture within cylinders to drive pistons, which produces drive torque. Air flow into gasoline engines is regulated via a throttle. More specifically, the throttle adjusts throttle area, which increases or decreases air flow into the engine. As the throttle area increases, the air flow into the engine increases. A fuel control system adjusts the rate that fuel is injected to provide a desired air/fuel mixture to the cylinders. Increasing the amount of air and fuel provided to the cylinders increases the torque output of the engine.
Hybrid vehicles are increasing in popularity. Hybrid vehicles generally have two power sources. The internal combustion engine is a first power source and an electric motor is a second power source. The electric motor is used as a power source in city driving where vehicle kinetic energy can be recovered by regenerative braking, converted to electric and chemical form, and stored in a battery, from which the motor is driven. The internal combustion engine is most suitable in highway driving, during which wheel braking and opportunities for energy recovery are infrequent, and the engine operates at its greatest efficiency.
In mixed driving conditions, the electric motor and combustion engine may be used together to transmit power to a transmission input shaft, depending on driving conditions and the magnitude of the battery capacity.
Typically, an engine includes a separate starter motor used for starting the engine when the engine is stopped. Reducing the amount of components in a vehicle reduces the vehicle weight and, therefore, increases the overall range or gas mileage of the vehicle.